Diversity of Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)Cultivars in USDA Repositories and Selected Retail Nurseries c. 2022

Abstract

This study reviewed available data for Pawpaw ( Asimina triloba) cultivars in the U.S. with the goal of determining genetic diversity and genomic-morphologic relationships. Ninety cultivars available at U.S. retail sites and 20 cultivars at USDA sites (6 unique from retail) in 2022 are listed. Nine genetic studies of pawpaw are then reviewed, finding 17 genetic associations among the retail cultivars. Recent agricultural, chemical, tensile, and spectrometric morphology data are also reviewed. An association with larger fruit weight and cultivars derived from ‘Middletown’ was found, but the remaining forms of morphology data were either uncorrelated with genomic data or otherwise unsuitable to determine genomic associations. A discussion of criteria for future genomic-morphologic studies of Asimina trilobais also included.